Be Be Your Love: Sexual Healing
by syd-monpeu
Summary: At SGH, it seems, that everyone just wants love. But when interns are sleeping with other interns, interns are sleeping with attendings, and attendings are sleeping with other attendings...things get complicated. By KEDDA.
1. Sex and Candy

Disclaimer: Don't own it.

Note: This fic is hard to label. I really mean it. If you are MerDer, its got that. But it has Addek, Maddison, Addex, Bang... Not that all these couples are going at it in closets all over the hospital. But they have to work together when most of them have slept together, or has slept with someone that slept with someone. Everyone has huge issues that are ruining each others lives.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"If you tell _anyone_..." Cristina threatened.

"I won't," Meredith assured her with a heavy sigh.

"No one," Cristina repeated.

"I _swear_ Meredith," Cristina repeated, "If someone so much as _looks_ at me funny, I'm killing _you_."

"I won't tell." Meredith promised, pouting slightly as she did.

Cristina pointed her finger at Meredith, warning her, as she backed away with a glare.

"What was that about?" Derek asked, grinning as he stood next to her.

"Nothing," Meredith's mouth twisted with displeasure. Her best friend was getting married, and it sucked. Seriously sucked.

She glanced at Derek, "We should do something," she said thoughtfully.

Derek grinned, leaning against the wall and crossing his arms, "Like what?"

"A movie?" Meredith suggested, "Like in a theater. People still do that right?"

"Last time I checked," he chuckled.

"So it's a date?"

Derek nodded, "A date. I'll pick you up at the locker room at 7," he lowered his voice, "We can play hooky on that presentation of Richard's."

"Like high school?" she smirked and raised an eyebrow suggestively.

"Like high school," he agreed, "We'll sit in the back. Make out."

xxxxxxx

Addison Montgomery walked briskly down the corridor. She had a busy day ahead of her.

"Good Morning," Mark greeted her smoothly, stepping directly into her path.

"I'm busy," she asserted, moving to step around him.

"How busy?" he asked, blocking her way once again.

"Very busy."

"Are you sure?" He took a step towards her, forcing her to take a step back.

She narrowed her eyes, "Positive."

"Really?" he asked again, continuing to take steps towards her and forcing her towards the open door to the break room.

"Mark. Stop," Addison requested, annoyance edging into her voice.

"No," he smiled easily and closed the door behind him.

"Mark," she sighed, glancing at her watch, "I have things to do."

Mark smiled slowly, stepping closer. The collar of his lab coat just barely touching hers, "I have things to do too," he whispered, lowering his mouth so his lips almost touched her cheek.

"I don't count as things to do Mark," she replied, he voice slightly breathy as she tried to move her face away from him.

"Don't you?" he teased, brushing his lips over her jawbone, "I think you're at the very top of that list."

"No," she argued weakly, already giving in. She tilted her her face to the side, letting him nibble down her neck, and she didn't even think to protest when his hands slid inside her lab coat and ran up her sides.

"Yes," he murmured, moving upwards to find her lips.

"Mmm," she moaned halfheartedly, mostly out of habit. She was used to being argumentative.

Within moments she forgot that she had patients to see and was only aware of how many damn buttons lined the front of his shirt. Until...

Her pager went off.

"Ignore it," he instructed, still pressing his lips hard against hers.

"I _can't,_" she replied, reaching for her pager and she tried to pull her blouse on to her shoulders as he continued to push it off.

He sighed in frustration as he watched her move away from him, already more or less put back together, and checking her pager. "Addison..."

"Mark..." she glanced up at him and pursed her lips, shaking her head "Why me?"

His forehead furrowed, "Why you?" he paused and peered at her earnestly, "Addison, I love you."

Addison didn't even flinch, "No you don't. Mark. You don't. Maybe you think that you do, because I am the only woman that you can talk to outside the confines of a bed. But that's not love. What we have, it's not love."

"You're wrong."

"I'm not, Mark. I'm not wrong," she sighed, "All you'll ever be good for, is sex."

xxxxxxx

"Thank God you paged me," Addison exclaimed, bursting though the door to the X-Ray department.

Callie looked up from her screen.

"I keep sleeping with Mark," Addison blurted out, "And I don't know why!"

Callie winced, and then went back to business, showing Addison her recent X-Ray slides.

Addison studied the slides,continuing her narrative rant, "I am at the point were I am actually disgusted with myself."

Callie noticed something out the corner of her eye and subtly shook her head in an effort to stop Addison from talking.

"What?" she asked, "Oh I know. I _know_! I'm crazy and weak, and I need to keep my legs crossed and my panties on, and _I know!_" Addison ignored the resident's pained look and continued, "But I can't stop sleeping with him. I literally _cannot_ stop. And I don't know why. And it's driving me crazy!"

"Addison!"

"What?!"

Callie nodded to the door behind them.

Alex Karev stood with his arms crossed, leaning back on the wall.

Addison closed her eyes in mortification. The wheels turned in her head, as she tried to find something — anything – to say to the intern.

Addison didn't know how to describe it actually. He looked upset, a hint of disappointment, maybe a slight bit of jealousy in his eyes.

Maybe.

She wasn't sure.

"I would appreciate it, if you kept what you heard to yourself, Alex."

He let out a huff and shook his head in response.

xxxxxxx

"I invited Izzie to come to the movies with us," Meredith stretched out her shoulder and sat down next to Derek.

"Izzie?"

Meredith nodded, "She had nothing better to do. The house was going to be empty. And she wanted to see the movie too."

"Oh."

Meredith frowned, "Is that a problem?"

Derek shook his head, "No. Actually, why don't just you two go. Have a girls night."

"But I thought..."

Derek stood and kissed her gently on the forehead, "Bring me back some jujubes."

"Derek!" Meredith stood and started to follow him.

"Yes Meredith?" Derek replied, almost formally.

"Is there a reason why you suddenly don't want to go out with me?"

Derek shook his head, "I do want to go to the movies with you."

"Then _why..._"

"I want to go with _you,_" he emphasized.

Meredith was silent.

Derek shrugged and turned away.

Meredith simply sighed.

xxxxxxx

Addison held a stack of charts and manila folders filled with medical information of two transfer patients in her left hands, clutching them close to her chest as she rushed through the crowded hallway.

"Excuse me," she said as she slipped past a group of chatting nurses.

Her last surgery had run very late, and her next surgery couldn't be postponed—unless she was willing to let that bald cardio surgeon take her slot. And she wasn't going to let that happen, Mrs. Bates' baby had to come out today.

So now she had roughly thirty minutes to go down two floors to room 216 for a final talk with Mrs. Bates and her husband before O'Malley could prep the patient, review the files in her hands, and call Mercy West and Seattle Presbyterian to accept—or decline—the requested transfers.

And somehow eat her late lunch, which was the granola bar Callie graciously gave her five minutes ago.

"Sorry," she apologized when she almost ran into an intern.

"In a hurry, Dr. Montgomery?" the bald cardio surgeon asked from behind the intern.

She cursed him in her head, but managed to fake a smile as she continued heading towards the staircase at the end of the hall.

"Should've taken a breather, and let me operate first," the bald cardio surgeon said smugly.

Addison turned around stared him down, "Never."

Just as she got her hand on the door handle to the staircase, a resident called out. It was Abigail Gates, a resident she was mentoring.

"What is it?" she asked as she approached Gates.

The young resident handed her some lab results and quickly gave the redhead her assessment. "Very good," Addison approved her student's plan of action.

"Oh," the resident called out once again just as they parted ways, "Mrs. Neill's blood pressure's too high, so I gave her magnesium."

Addison turned around and walked backward as to not waste anymore time, "Be careful, watch her toxin level."

Addison reached for the handle behind her and swung open the door.

Fast.

A little to fast.

"Oh my God!" she cried when she heard the loud impact, followed by a thud. Addison cringed.

She had accidentally hit a person with the door.

She prayed to all the gods that the person wasn't badly injured, but she cursed them all when she saw who it was on the ground.

Addison Montgomery had just knocked her ex-husband unconscious.

Derek Shepherd was on the ground, unmoving, a small trail of blood trickling down his nose.

"Oh dear God, why do you hate me so much…" she grumbled, setting her files on the floor and kneeling beside Derek.

"Derek," she called, patting his cheek and shaking his shoulder, "Derek…Der…"

He moaned in pain as he gained consciousness and opened his eyes.

"Derek, I'm so sorry! I was in a hurry, and I was talking to Gates, and I didn't see…"

"Aarrghh…" he groaned and closed his eyes.

She reached behind his shoulder and carefully brought him into a sitting position, "I am so sorry…."

Derek brought his hand to feel the warm liquid on his face, "Jesus, Addie…." He wiped it off and looked at the red stain on his hand, "Are you trying…arrghh…to kill me?"

"I swear to you, I might have some scenarios, but this isn't one of them…" She bit her bottom lip when he gave her a look. She felt bad, really bad, but dammit she wanted to laugh too.

"Do you think you can stand?" she asked.

"Ugh…yeah…."

She circled one arm around his waist and one holding his upper arm, pulling him up as she stood up. Holding him up by his arm and another hand around his waist, she started to lead Derek into the hallway.

"Oh God, they're going to think I tried to kill you."

"You did."

xxxxxxx

"Ahhhh!"

Addison cringed, "I think…."

He raised one brow, "You think?!"

She sighed, "I broke your nose."

"You broke my nose," he repeated.

"I'm sorry, I didn't…"

He held up a hand, "Bad?"

"Not really, I can set it back…."

"But…?"

She smiled sadly, "But it's gonna hurt."

"No kidding."

Suddenly he chuckled.

Addison narrowed her eyes, "What's so funny?"

He smiled, "Just do it, Add."

She reached up and let her fingers feel the displaced bones in his nose.

He chuckled again, "First it was you and your poison oak…."

She glared and he laughed louder.

"Oouuuw!" he yelped, when without warning, she set his nose back in place.

"And now you and your broken nose," she concluded. She placed a small strip of bandage on his nose, "All done."

He touched his nose lightly, feeling her work, "Nice."

"I _am_ the best." She smirked, "Anyway…you should lie down here for a while."

He reclined back on the exam bed, "You should go to your surgery before bald Lehman takes your OR."

"He wouldn't dare." She looked over her shoulder as she exited the room, "By the way, Derek, you might have an ugly bruise on your forehead soon."

"Thanks Add."

xxxxxxx

"Hi."

"What happened to your face?" Meredith exclaimed in horror.

"Addison attacked me with a door," Derek chuckled.

"On purpose?"

"She says no," Derek smiled, "I have my doubts."

Meredith bit her lip sympathetically.

"I bought the tickets for the movie tonight," Derek continued, "Three of them. As long as you don't mind sitting with the victim of a violent door attack."

"Three?"

Derek nodded.

Meredith's face broke into a slow grin, "You know it's about time that you started spending time with my friends and not just me."

"Yeah," Derek replied, "I suppose it is."

xxxxxxx

The theater was almost dark, almost empty and mostly full of comatose doctors listening to Richard drone on about hospital politics.

"Mark," Addison hissed pushing his hand away from her thigh.

Mark shifted in his seat so he was facing her. He watched her eyes shifted over to him suspiciously, but she kept her face trained on the front. There was no one immediately around them. He reached over and grazed his hand lightly over her knee.

Addison glanced down at his wandering hand and glanced around awkwardly, praying that no one was watching.

She locked eyes with Alex Karev.

She faced forward again. Mark fingers grazed lightly along the underside of her crossed legs. She brought her fingers to her lips and pinched her lower lip pensively.

She glanced over again.

He was still watching her. His gaze seemed to be boring holes into her.

Abruptly she pushed Marks hand away and exited the theater.

On the other side of the theater, Alex did the same.

He grabbed her by the elbow and steered her through the nearest door.

"Karev!" she warned as she was propelled through the door. The projector lit up the room and she could hear the discussion continuing in the theater, "Stop!"

Alex closed the door firmly behind them, "Stop what?" he demanded in a low voice.

"Stop looking at me," she implored, "Just stop. Please."

"What are you doing with Sloan?"

She narrowed her eyes and attempted to lean her hand casually against the walls, "I don't see how that is any of your..."

Alex stepped forward and crushed his lips against hers. Addison pulled back in protest, but realized she was quite fond of what his tongue was doing to her bottom lip, and willingly opened her mouth for him.

He reached back and cupped her ass, busying himself trying to find the zipper to her skirt.

"Just hike it up," she breathed, kissing him hard again.

Alex lip's roamed her neck and down to her chest, as he rapidly undid the buttons of her blouse, pushing it off her shoulders.

He kissed her again, hard every time, and this time got a moan out of her when he skimmed his fingers up her abs and across the swell of her breasts. She pulled always impatiently and unhooked her front-clasping bra, immediately moving back, eager to feel his hands on her again.

"Nice tits," he deadpanned, reaching out to let them fill his palms.

She smirked.

Alex busied himself with tweaking her nipples between his fingers, smiling at the flush that had spread all over her chest, up her neck, and found home in the apples of her cheeks.

She tugged on the drawstring of his pants, allowing them to pool at his ankles.

Alex slid his fingers between her thighs, feeling the damp crotch of her panties. Addison blushed, and he smiled widely, resting his forehead against hers as he pushed the thong down her legs. He nipped at her lips quickly, then guided her hips back until she was sitting on the narrow counter, and knelt down in front of her.

He quickly brought his mouth to her inner thighs, teasing her by getting dangerously close, then moving away. She moaned after a few times, slightly embarrassed it might sound like begging, but realized she didn't care as much as she wanted him to start.

And he did. Oh god, he did. Somehow he was rough and gentle at the same time, and he had the mixture perfected. She abruptly pulled him up by the shoulders, tugged on his lips with hers for a split second, and pushed his chest away.

"We've got about eight minutes," she murmured. She chuckled as his boyish eagerness as he almost fell over trying to get out of his boxers so fast. She laughed softly, as he climbed on top of her, pushing her back onto the counter.

He kissed her neck, grazing her breast, then pushed into her with no warning. And she kind of liked it. And when he started moving inside of her, she really liked it.

He was determined and attentive, just like an intern should be. But she was the attending.

And she was always in charge.

Addison flipped them over so she was on top, supporting herself on his chest.

He smirked, brushing his thumbs across her hipbones. He rubbed her faster, eager to make her come. He loved watching her, her face and her mouth open and her breasts bouncing around slightly.

She couldn't hold herself up anymore, her body falling forward onto his chest. He sucked on her neck right below her ear and held her hips steady and pushed into her harder.

That s all it took. She came biting his shoulder, squeezing suddenly, pulsating and rocking. It was too much for Alex. He came too, weaving his fingers into her hair and grunting as quietly as possible against her jaw.

"Damn," he said softly.

xxxxxxx

Addison sat calmly in her seat next to Mark and primly crossed her legs.

"Where did you go?" he whispered.

"I just laid Karev in the sound booth." Addison turned to look at him.

Mark looked over and met her gaze for a few moments, "Fine. Don't tell me."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

How was that?


	2. Friends Will Be Friends

XXXXXXXXXX

++ 24 hours ago++

"Meredith? We are going to be late," Izzie banged impatiently on the closed door to Meredith's room, "It's _already_ almost 6 Meredith." she leaned against the doorjamb, stiffed a yawn and shifted her travel mug to one hand so she could refold the newspaper, "You're the only one with a car!" No sound came from the room, "I know you are up! I heard your alarm go off!" Izzie banged on the door again, "And I can hear you moving around!"

The door swung open. Derek glared at her, knotting his bathrobe angrily, "You had _9 million dollars_ and it didn't occur to you to _buy a car_?"

"You are making me_ late!_"

"You are _ruining_ my day."

"We are _all_ going to be late!"

"So we'll be _late!_" Derek exclaimed, closing the door firmly in her face.

"Derek!" Izzie banged on the door, "_Derek!_ Do you _want_ me to explain to Bailey _why_ we are all late?"

"I'm her boss," Derek yelled back, "Tell her whatever you want. Just _go away_."

"No!" She continued to bang on the door with her fist, "Meredith!" she tried appealing to her friend again, "I am going to be _late,"_ she whined, "Bailey will make me do scut _again_. I don't _have_ a boyfriend to rescue me from scut when he makes _everyone late everyday_."

The door swung open again. Derek was still glaring, "You aren't going away are you?"

"Not until you _promise_ me that I won't be late for work."

Derek turned and retreated into the bedroom. Izzie leaned again the doorframe; Meredith tugged at her t-shirt and shrugged at her, sinking further into the pillows.

"You can take my car," he handed her his keys and edged her out the door, "Put some gas in it. And change the oil."

Izzie rolled her eyes and started down the hall, flipping open her newspaper as she went, "George! Callie! I've got _keys!_"

She stopped.

Turned.

And banged on Meredith's door again.

"Meredith?" she called through the door, "Why does Cristina have an engagement announcement?"

XXXX

"Congratulations!" Izzie squealed, throwing her arms around Cristina.

"Why is she touching me?"

Meredith held up the newspaper.

"Is that supposed to make me understand?" Cristina asked dryly, trying to push a now bouncing Izzie away.

"Izzie reads the engagement announcements."

"And?"

"And she read yours."

Cristina stared, "I don't have an engagement announcement," she informed her, ripping the newspaper from her hand.

"Well, you do now."

XXXX

"Burke!"

Preston Burke turned and smiled. Formally. Like he always did at work, "Cristina."

"Don't _Cristina_ me. _What_ were you thinking!?"

Burke held his ground. He knew that she would find out sooner or later, "I got tired of waiting."

"You..." Cristina was furious.

"I called the newspaper 3 weeks ago. I assumed," he paused and rephrased, "I _hoped_ that by now we would have made a formal announcement."

Cristina was dumb with anger.

"I'm happy,"

Cristina shook her head, she jaw trembling in anger and spun away from him.

"Cristina!" he called after her.

She ignored him.

XXXX

"Meredith!"

"What was I suppose to do?" Meredith demanded, "She's my _best friend!_"

"There are already _5 people_ living in your house!"

"It's only for a few days until she patches things up with Burke!"

Derek turned and stalked up the hall.

"Derek!"

He didn't turn.

"Derek!"

He was so mad he couldn't even be around her. It was frustrating. He was with her, but it felt like he was also with Izzie Cristina and George. And that wasn't part of the deal. Meredith was the deal.

He increased his gait and forcefully threw open the door to the stairwell.

Addison jumped back in surprise.

He'd almost hit her.

She took another step back and crossed her arms, "Have you been waiting for me?"

Derek stared at her in confusion.

"Your nose," she reminded him.

"Oh," Derek touched his nose gingerly, "You deformed me. I didn't have this bump before."

Addison rolled her eyes, "Yes, you did."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Derek, you have always had that bump!"

"I have not!"

"Derek!" Meredith threw open the door and stopped short.

Derek and Meredith glanced at each other.

Meredith crossed her arms stubbornly and stared out the nearby window.

Addison stared at her inquisitively, and then glanced at Derek for an explanation.

Derek avoided her gaze.

"Ok," Addison said into the awkward silence that was filling the stairwell, "I'm going to go…"

Neither looked at her as she passed.

"Why are you being such an ass?" she heard Meredith demand before the door closed completely behind her. She smirked to herself.

"Are you seeing someone else? On the side?" Mark demanded, appearing at her side.

Addison rolled her eyes, "A different side then the one I'm 'seeing' you on?"

"Addison…"

"Mark…" she began with a sigh.

5 feet away, Derek slammed down his chart and ripped it open.

Addison and Mark exchanged looks –– Addison thankful for the interruption and more then a little curious to know what had transpired in that stairwell; Mark vowing they would continue this later –– and turned towards him, expectant looks on their faces.

Derek tapped his pen on the counter a few times, "Is it a girl thing?" He asked, more towards Addison then Mark, "Do girls _actually_ sit around and talk about their feelings?"

They stared at him in confusion.

"And have slumber parties?" He continued, "Is this something that women still do."

"I hope so," Mark replied easily, leaning against the counter.

Derek ignored him and turned his attention completely to Addison, "When we fought, would you go to a friend and monopolize their time and sleep on their couch and complain about me?"

Addison stared at him. He was seriously asking. "I never had to," She said quietly, gathering her things together, "When we needed time apart," she looked away, "you moved to Seattle."

Derek and Mark watched her retreat down the hall, papers clutched to her chest.

"You know," Mark crossed his arms over his chest, "I don't think she likes you."

x

x

x

x

x

XXXX

XXX

XX

X

_++ Today++_

"Morning!"

Cristina stumbled into kitchen, stretching and trying to work out the kinks from sleeping on Meredith's couch –– which had reached its prime 2 decades ago.

"There's coffee

Cristina nodded groggily and stumbled towards the coffee maker.

"And I'm making muffins. They'll be readying in 5 minutes."

Cristina didn't reply. She didn't talk before her caffeine had a good 30 minutes to circulate.

"Did you sleep well?" Izzie questioned cheerfully.

"Morning Izzie!" George greeted entering the kitchen, "Morning Cristina." he said belatedly and with less warmth.

"It's Thursday!" Izzie said enthusiastically.

"Muffin day!"

Cristina sat at the counter and buried her face in her arms.

"Muffins Callie!"

Callie shot George a grumpy look and sat next to Cristina, mirroring her position.

Derek entered the kitchen; poured a bowl of cereal and a cup of coffee and left again.

"Someone's not a McMorning-Person," Izzie said under her breath.

"More like not a McPeople-Person," Meredith corrected, passing Derek in the doorway with a quick kiss. She took in Cristina and Callie identical masses of black curly hair covering their faces, "The Morose Twins don't want muffins?"

"Are you people always this _happy_?" Cristina demanded.

"Yes," Callie scowled, "But it's worse when there are muffins."

XXXX

Addison stopped brushing her teeth and opened and closed another cupboard door. Her brow furrowed in annoyance.

"Do you have my toothbrush?"

Addison ripped the toothbrush from her mouth and spat in the kitchen sink, "_Where_ is your coffee maker?" she demanded.

"I don't have one."

"You don't have a coffee maker?" she said to herself, cursing the gods, "You don't have a coffee maker?" She called after him.

"I don't drink coffee."

"What?" Addison was genuinely confused by this concept.

"There's tea."

"Tea?"

Alex returned to the kitchen, running shoes in hand.

"I need _coffee_," She informed him.

"I need to get going, it's a 30 minute run and I'm already going to be late for rounds."

"You're running to the hospital?"

"Yeah," he replied, grabbing a water bottle from the refrigerator, "Could you lock up?"

Addison stared at the door closing slowly, and then glanced around the kitchen. "I _need_ coffee."

XXXX

"They are SO damn happy," Cristina complained, "All of them. All the time. '_Oh Cristina, have a muffin. I made 2 kinds_'."

"I like Izzie's muffins."

"Ya, I bet you do," Cristina responded with angry sarcasm.

"Hey," Alex snapped, grabbing extra suture kits and leaving Cristina standing there alone, "Don't bitch at me because your fiancé stabbed you in the back and your best friend has a secret world of happiness and muffins."

Cristina stalked after him, "You know I used to be like you. I had my own place. No connections. No _people_. Then I started sleeping with my boss because he brought me a _damn cup of coffee_ and it's _ruining_ my _life_!"

"Re_lax."_

"I miss my apartment," Cristina lamented, "There was _never_ a muffin in my apartment."

"Stop saying 'muffin'."

"Is your apartment 1 bedroom or 2?"

"No."

"But you don't have a roommate."

"I have a sex life."

Cristina smirked.

Interesting.

XXXX

Addison glanced up from her chart to see a large cup of coffee being held out to her. She looked at Alex suspiciously over the rims of her glasses, "What do you want?"

"Nothing," Alex leaned further over the counter, tempting her with the coffee, "Viennese roast."

Addison accepted the coffee appreciatively and took a sip, "What do you really want?"

"Nothing," he repeated, "You _need_ coffee."

"You want out of scut don't you?"

Alex shrugged, "I wouldn't complain."

XXXX

"Mild, Medium or Hot?"

Cristina stared dumbly.

"Salsa," Izzie clarified, "How spicy?"

"What?" Cristina demanded incredulously.

"We usually rent movies, make nachos and drink beer on Friday night," Izzie explained brightly, "It's kind of a tradition. I was just wondering what kind of salsa you like so I know what to buy. Me, Meredith and George all like Mild, but Callie _has_ to have Hot," she paused, "And Derek just doesn't want to get involved."

"What?"

"_Salsa_," Izzie repeated impatiently, "And I hope you like really cheesy horror movies because it's George's turn to pick and he generally..."

"_What?_" Cristina repeated, still completely boggled by this whole notion.

"_Movies..._" Izzie clarified.

Cristina stared at her and shook her head in utter confusion.

Turned, and walked away.

XXXX

Derek unlocked the front door and immediately swore out loud.

Luggage.

Cristina's luggage.

"_Meredith!_" he exclaimed, kicking the suitcase nearest to him.

"Derek?" she called back, "Can you go get us some ice cream?" she requested, nay, whined, "And potato chips and chocolate?"

"And pizza," Cristina added as Derek walked in the room.

The table in front of them was littered with every almost empty liquor bottle that they could find. And although they had glasses, they weren't using them.

And they were watching wrestling.

"Cookies are done!" Izzie yelled from the kitchen.

"It's like a goddamn sorority," Derek muttered under his breath. He glared at them through narrowed eyes, turned on his heel and stomped up stared.

"Is that a no to the ice cream and pizza then?"

XXXXXXXXXX


	3. Hear Me Out

Cristina had had enough. Not that she didn't enjoy freshly squeezed orange juice, but she didn't need it hand delivered by Izzie at 5 am when she fully intended to hit her alarm 3 more times.

And she didn't appreciate being last in line for the only shower.

"Alex?"

Cristina shrugged.

"You can't live with Alex."

"He has a spare room," Cristina stated blankly, "It's no couch circa 1975, but it somewhere to sleep."

"Then go home to Burke."

"No," Cristina replied simply and stubbornly.

"Why?" Meredith demanded.

"Because. I don't want too."

"Then stay here."

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because Izzie keeps making things from scratch and forcing me to eat them. George sings in the shower, McDreamy McHates me, and you seem to think that _all_ this is completely normal. The only bearable person in this house is _Callie_."

Meredith sat silently, pouting, and watched Cristina pack.

"I can't believe Alex is letting you move in with him."

"He doesn't know yet."

XXXXXXX

"I need a grown up conversation." Callie stated vehemently.

"And you came to me?"

"I _hate_ my _life_!"

Addison chuckled, "I didn't start hating married life until _well_ after our 1st anniversary."

"It's not that," Callie sighed, "George is great. Ridiculously great. It's his friends, and the mutual hatred we still have for each other."

"Ah," Addison nodded understandingly.

"I'm not complaining," Callie complained, "But now Cristina is leaving and I am all alone with the 'perky pals' again."

"Perky pals?" Addison raised an eyebrow, "Where is Cristina going?"

"I dunno," Callie sighed and reached for her ringing cell, "But I already miss her. Hello?" She rolled her head around to stare at the ceiling, "Seriously? _Where_ do you find these people?"

Addison stared at her salad and contemplated how far she could catapult a carrot using her spoon. Not that she would ever do it, it was more an exercise to keep her physics skills up to par.

Callie flipped her phone closed, "I have to go back to work," she heaved a sigh, "Which is _really_ unfair, because I hate my life. Wanna come?"

Addison ignored her completely. She was not in the least bit interested in broken bones.

"It's a consult with a really nice really attractive physical therapist," Callie tempted, her voice becoming teasing at the words physical therapist, "You know what they say about physical therapists…"

"They couldn't hack it in med school?"

"No," Callie laughed, "They have _amazing _hands…"

Addison rolled her eyes, "I'll pass."

"Well," Callie stood, "You can't pass because the patient is a professional tennis player and she is 13 weeks pregnant," she grinned. "Let's go."

XXXXXXX

"I need a place to stay."

"No," Alex shook his head adamantly.

"Well," Cristina shrugged, "I already gave your landlord $100 to let me in and give me a key. So, I'm not really asking."

XXXXXXX

"Hey," Derek leaned over the chair that she was sitting in and bent his head to kiss her cheek.

Meredith turned her face to the side and moved to stand up.

"Hey!" Derek's brow furrowed in puzzlement, "What's wrong."

"Nothing," Meredith lied, "I have to get back to work."

"Hey," Derek grabbed her arm gently and pulled her back. He brushed some hair out of her face while still maintaining his hold on her arm to keep her from turning away, "Tell me what's bothering you. I'll fix it."

"Cristina left."

Derek's brow furrowed, "When?"

"This morning," she sighed, "You were asleep. She just packed up and left."

"Good," Derek smiled, "I thought that she'd never work things out with Burke."

Meredith narrowed her eyes and ripped her arm out of his grasp, "She didn't. She moved in with _Alex_."

XXXXXXX

"Cristina," Burke jogged down the hallway and fell into step beside her.

Cristina continued to stare straight ahead.

"I'm sorry," Burke apologized.

Cristina stopped and stared at him.

"I knew that you didn't want to tell people yet and I did anyway. I'm sorry."

Cristina took a deep breath and looked away.

"I miss you."

Cristina expelled all the air in her lungs, "We don't agree on anything." She shook her head, "People who are getting married are suppose to have things in common, they are suppose to share ideals and beliefs and values and we don't have any of that. Whenever it comes up we ignore it until one of us is backed into a corner or one of us finds a compromise. But we never find the compromise together, Burke."

"Cristina," he look her hand gently and led her through the closest open door that would give them a bit of privacy, "We will be okay. We will _be_ okay."

"But it's always me Burke," Cristina protested, "It's always me that has to change. And I didn't mind because…" she paused, "I just don't know if I can do it my whole life."

XXXXXXX

"I hate you!"

"Why?" Callie demanded trying to hide a smile.

"That patient was _not_ pregnant!"

"Really? Huh," Callie shrugged and turned back to her chart where she was writing up her treatment notes, "I must have gotten confused."

"Your patient is _male_!"

"I _know_. But Geoffrey is SO gorgeous," Callie sighed longingly, "So very gorgeous."

"Then you date him," Addison mumbled.

"I'm married."

"So…" she muttered under her breath.

Callie gave an exaggerated sigh, "It was never the right time for us. He was married. I was married…"

"He's _married_!" Addison exclaimed indigently.

"Not _anymore_!" Callie replied defensively, "Besides, I think he likes you."

"He does not." Addison flushed profusely in spite of herself. He was gorgeous. In a tall, fair, muscular, clean-shaven, square jaw, dark eyes and completely perfect sort of way.

"Go back and talk to him."

"No," Addison glanced over at the physical therapist that was in talking with Callie's tennis player.

"Come on," Callie teased earnestly, "You're actually perfect for each other."

Addison glanced at her, "You need a hobby."

"This is my hobby. I _know _you don't plan on sleeping with Mark for the rest of your life, I'm just finding you a new play thing."

"I'm not sleeping with Mark now."

"Since when?"

Addison shrugged, "I should get back to work."

'No," Callie protested, "Give me the gossip. I need to know about whatever raunchy, dirty, inappropriate, mind and body bending sex you are having so that I don't kill 'Fool and the Gang' _in their sleep_."

"No."

Callie leaned forward, "It's McDreamy isn't it. You've been engaging in some illustrious Ex-Sex."

"No." Addison repeated, "No. No. No."

'Tell me." Callie insisted, "Tell me now."

"I'm seriously leaving now," Addison straightened up, "You know I don't pry into your life."

"That's because I'm married," Callie called out to Addison's retreating figure, "I live in a world of constant happiness and sunshine. My life _sucks!_"

XXXXXXX

Alex looked around his apartment.

Cristina had walked in the door, deposited a few essentials in the kitchen, thrown a box of stuff he didn't want to think about in the bathroom and had locked herself in the spare room.

Maybe this wasn't going to be so bad.

He picked up his phone. "Hey. Want to come over?"

Addison exhaled loudly as she considered her options, "Are you booty calling me?"

"Does that effect you decision?"

"It might," she admitted, smiling.

"Well," he grinned, "I won't try to have sex with you until you have been in the apartment for at least 10 minutes."

"Oh. Well that's not a booty call then," Addison teased, "I'm just wondering what we are suppose to do for those 10 minutes."

"Stare awkwardly at our watches?" Alex chuckled, "I'll probably be picturing you naked for at least 8 of them."

Addison laughed loudly, "What if I say no?"

"I'm still going to spend 8 minutes picturing you naked."

XXXXXXX

"Still mad at me, huh?" Derek asked.

Meredith ignored his presence and continued to pick at her pasta.

"Any linguini left?"

Meredith stood and put her dishes in the sink.

"Are you at least going to tell me why you are mad at me?" he asked as she left the kitchen.

At the door she turned, "My _best friend_ needed a place to stay and you did _everything_ that you could to make her feel unwelcome."

Derek stared at his shoes, appropriately ashamed.

"You pushed her away without even _stopping_ to think that maybe she _needed to be here. Maybe I needed her to be here_." She shook her head, "Sometimes I can't _believe_ how _selfish you are_."

XXXXXXX

Addison sat up and wrapped the sheet tightly around her, drawing her knees up to her chest. She glanced around the room. She felt like she was back in college. This was definitely a boy's room. Drawers not completely closed, laptop piled on top what she was hoping were car magazines, but if she was honest with herself, it was probably porn. The closet door was opened to reveal a wardrobe consisting almost exclusively of jeans and t-shirts along with a small selection of designated 'date shirts'. Frat boy chic.

Alex reentered the room, slowly working the kinks out of his left shoulder as he adjusted the waistband of his sweats, and carrying a glass of water. He handed her the glass and leisurely reclined against the headboard.

She glanced at him and took a sip of water. She glanced at him again.

"What?" Alex gave her a cocky grin, "Sloan never got you a glass of water?"

Addison smiled, but neither confirmed nor denied the statement.

"Sloan's an ass."

Addison chuckled, "But it's _such _a nice one."

"Okay, listen, _Dr. Montgomery_, the first rule of pillow talk is that you don't talk about other guys. More specifically, you don't talk about their asses."

"Okay," she laughed.

"The only exception being, if you want to say that mine is nicer."

Addison only laughed.

"You _suck_ at pillow talk," he grumbled.

"I'm sorry," she chuckled.

"You never talked to Sloan? Ever."

She shrugged and leaned back against the headboard, arms crossed against her chest holding the sheet in place.

"Then why bother?"

She sighed, "Mark is really good, amazing even, at making you believe that he really cares for you; that you are the only person that he wants to be with. And it makes you feel good. Special," she smirked, "But that feeling really only last as long as he does," she glanced over at Alex, "Besides, he was the only one that wanted me."

Alex looked at her like she was crazy, "Are you kidding? You're hot. Everyone wants you."

"Really?" she smiled, "Everyone?"

"'Cept for Bailey, maybe."

"And Derek."

"Well Shepherd's an ass too."

Silence filled the room.

"I cheated on Izzie," Alex confessed, "Not on purpose or anything. I just…"

"Yeah."

"Yeah, and I tried everything I could think of to make it up to her, but by then... there was Denny."

"Yeah," She took another sip of water, "Do you have anything stronger?"

Alex shook his head, "Milk," he offered.

"You know," Addison reflected, "I've never really seen you drink more then beer. One beer."

Alex shrugged.

Addison placed her glass on the night table and turned towards him. She ran her hand down his chest and lightly dragged her lips up the side of his neck. She felt him swallow hard and pulled away in order to rearrange her legs and straddle him.

"My parents are drunks."

She paused and sighed sadly cupping his cheek in her hand.

"Just," he paused, "That's why." He shrugged, changing the subject, "You grew up with a silver spoon, that had to suck too."

Addison didn't say anything.

Alex didn't make any move to change the subject again, and Addison wasn't sure what she was supposed to do. He didn't seem to want her to move, but it seemed like an awkward conversation to have when one party was naked and pressed up against the other.

"It didn't suck," she said finally.

"I don't believe you," he said in a low voice, staring at his thumbs as they traced along her ribs.

"My mother was gorgeous and wanted gorgeous daughters who married well and gave her gorgeous grandchildren. But I liked science, not nail polish; and I married Derek not someone who's parents belonged to her country club; and, " she paused, "I had an abortion not grandchildren."

"Screw her. You turned out all right," he looked her up and down, "Seriously all right."

Her hand smoothed over his brow. He looked more troubled then usual, "Poor kid," she teased softly.

"Kid?" He smirked at her, "Did you just call me a _kid_?" He asked grabbing her around the waist and pulled her against him before flipping her over on to her back so fast that she squealed and bounced a bit against the mattress.

Her fingers wrapped possessively around his neck and forcing his lips against hers, her tongue flicking his lower lip until he greedily kissed her back. She arched her back against him and reached for the waistband of his sweats.

"This k_id_s a step ahead you." He teased, already kicking the pants on the floor and pushing all the bedclothes onto the floor with them. He grabbed her legs and pulled them up closer to her body as she pushed herself up on to her elbows, "Ready?"

Her eyes opened in surprise as he ground his pelvis against hers, already starting to slip inside. She groaned loudly, amused smile still on her face "What? No foreplay?"

He thrust all the way in. Hard, "You didn't even need it," he murmured into her ear, "Besides. Foreplay is _not_ for _kids._"

"Jesus," she gasped as he immediately set a hard and fast pace.

"To much?" he breathed against her mouth.

"Not even close."

He reached over her head and wrapped his fist around the rail of the headboard, "Then you better brace yourself."

XXXXXXX

**Next Day**

XXXXXXX

"I am resetting the alarm for 30 minutes from now," Alex sat on the edge of the bed fiddling with the clock, "If you want to shower you have to get up then," he looked at her totally unresponsive figure, "And if you are still _in_ there when I get back I am getting in with you."

Addison ignored him and drifted back to sleep. 25 minutes later she rolled over, turned off the alarm, and continued to sleep.

It wasn't until she heard the front door open that she realized that she was going to have to bolt for the shower and lock the door unless she wanted both of them to be suspiciously late.

She was still yawning when she stepped out into the hallway wearing only a t-shirt.

And ran directly into Cristina.

They stared at each other in bewildered silence for a full minute.

"Oh my god," Addison groaned.

Cristina stared.

"Oh my _god_," she repeated, closing her eyes and pretending that none of this was happening.

"That was _you_?" Cristina stared past Addison and through the open bedroom door to the extremely disheveled bed, "_THAT_ _was YOU_?"

"Oh. My. _GOD!_" Addison voice became more and more shrill as the full implications of the situation sank in.

They sank into an uncomfortable silence.

"I brought you coffee," Alex came up behind them and pressed a large coffee cup into Addison's hand. He looked her over, "You turned off the alarm didn't you."

Addison glared and stormed back into the bedroom, slamming the door behind her.

Alex glanced over at Cristina, "What?"

"Oh my _god._"

Alex rolled his eyes and followed Addison into the bedroom.

"What were you _thinking_?" Addison demanded.

"What?"

"What? How could you not _tell me_ that Cristina had moved in?"

Alex was silent.

"This is _unbelievable!"_

"She doesn't _care_!"

"_I care!"_

"_Why_?"

Addison stared at him dumbstruck. She grabbed the nearest object, her glass of water from the night before, and threw it violently in his direction.

He stepped out of the way and the glass landed undamaged on the floor, "What was that for?"

"How could you be so _stupid!?"_

"She needed a place to stay," Alex replied defensively, "And it's not like she asked. She just showed up."

"You should have _told me!" _Addison raged, "You asked me to come over knowing that _she was in the next room._"

"So…"

"_She could HEAR us!"_

Alex smirked.

"_Oh for…" _Addison grabbed the portable phone and lunged it at his head.

"Stop _throwing_ things at me!"

"_Don't EVEN…" _She exclaimed grabbing the alarm clock and hitting him square in the stomach.

"Addison! _Quit it!"_

Addison paused. He had never called her by her first name before.

They stared at each other in complete silence, one on either side of the bed.

"If she tells anyone Alex…" Addison sighed.

"Have _you_ told anyone?"

"_What?_"

"Does Callie know?"

Addison looked away and started buttoning up her blouse, "Why would I tell Callie?"

"Because she's your friend. Friends talk about stuff like this."

She glanced at him sharply, "_Who_ did you tell?"

Alex smirked, "I don't have friends."

Addison sighed in relief.

"You don't want this getting back to_ Shepherd_," he accused.

Addison grabbed her skirt from a tangled heap on the floor and briefly attempted too shake out the wrinkles.

"You don't want you _ex-husband _to know that you are slumming with the interns."

"No…"

"It's good enough for him but it's beneath you," he paused, "Although you didn't _act_ like you minded being _beneath me_, or which ever _way_ it happened to be."

Addison's eye's flashed and she grabbed her shoes off the floor.

"Sleeping with his best friend is _fine_, but god _forbid_ he find you sleeping with an intern."

"_You wonder why I don't want people to know?" _Addison raged,_ "It's because you are THE MOST IMMATURE PERSON I HAVE EVER MET! AND I SPENT A YEAR OF MY LIFE SLEEPING WITH MARK!"_

"I am _nothing _like…"

"You are _exactly like him! You are both hell bent on RUINING MY LIFE!"_

"I think you are doing a _damn good job of that yourself Addison!"_ Alex spat, "_Because he is with Meredith and he hasn't given you a second glance in weeks"_

"I don't _care_…"

"You're still in love with him!"

"I _am NOT!"_

"It's _not_ that you don't _want ANYONE TO KNOW!_ _You don't _want _DEREK to know_."

"_OF COURSE I DON'T WANT DEREK TO KNOW_!" she bellowed, "_AND I KNOW THAT HE DOESN'T LOOK TWICE AT ME! BUT IF HE DOES LOOK AT ME, I DON'T WANT IT TO BE BECAUSE HE KNOWS ABOUT YOU!"_

Alex's eye's narrowed as he watched her stand there, her chest heaving with rage, "Fine," he shrugged, trying to appear indifferent, "We were just fooling around anyway," he picked up her purse and tossed it across the bed, "See you at work."

Addison huffed in anger and ripped her purse off the bed. She stormed from the apartment without a backwards glance.

XXXXXXX

"How was Alex's?" Meredith asked casually.

Cristina reflected for a moment, "Sure beats muffins."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX


	4. Loyalty and Betrayal

"Gather round," Bailey instructed, "You are _all_ in the clinic. _No EXCEPTIONS_. There is a nasty _nasty_ stomach flu going around and if you haven't been vomited on at lease _5 times_ by lunch," she eyed them all. "You _ain't doin'_ your _job._"

"Miranda," Addison's heels staccatoed purposely past, "I need Cristina."

"Not today," Bailey shook her head.

Addison stopped dead in her tracks, "But I _need_ an intern."

Bailey shrugged, " Ask someone else."

"But I _need_ _Cristina_," Addison said desperately.

Cristina raised her eyebrow.

"I've _prepped_ _Cristina_," Addison invented.

Bailey glanced at Cristina.

Cristina nodded in agreement. She hated vomit.

"Fine," Bailey turned her back, dismissing everyone.

Cristina jogged after Addison, "You want to make sure I keep my mouth shut don't you."

Addison picked up a stack of charts and piled them in Cristina's arms, "I'm glad we understand each other."

XXXXXXX

Derek stepped into the clinic and looked around wearily. It reeked of vomit.

"Meredith!" He called across the room, motioning to her over the heads of patients.

"What?" she asked as she approached, wiping her brow with her forearm.

"You left early this morning," he began awkwardly.

She shrugged, "I just didn't come in with you."

He brushed his hand softly over her arm, "I missed you," he smiled.

"Sorry," she replied without much conviction.

"Mer, come on."

"No," she shrugged away from him, "I'm still mad. I get to be mad."

"Meredith," Derek sighed.

"No, Derek. You don't get to always come first with me," Meredith spat, lowering her voice to barely a whisper, "I have other people in my life. Just because you have shut yourself off from everyone, doesn't mean that you have to _drag me_ along with _you_."

"Meredith," Derek reached out for her, "I'm sorry," he whispered sincerely.

"Okay," she shrugged, "Thanks."

"Meredith," he tried again, "I'll talk to Cristina. I'll apologize, and I'll ask her to come back."

She looked at him for the first time since she walked over, "Really?"

Derek grinned, "Well, first I am going to try to get her back to Burke's," he saw her tentatively smile back and his grin grew larger "I'll get her back for you. I'm McDreamy, I can do anything."

XXXXXXX

"George," Callie swung the curtain around trapping him inside, "I want out."

"What?" George's jaw dropped.

"I want out of that house," Callie insisted, "We are _married_ and we have _no_ privacy in that house! There are people _everywhere_. I want out. _We _need out."

George stared at her dumbly, "We can't _leave_."

"Why _not_?" she demanded.

George began to stutter, "We can't leave Meredith. Without a roommate. And. And. She's picky. So. She needs to find someone to take that, that room. And she's picky. " George grasped, "And Izzie. We can't leave Izzie there. With Meredith. And Derek. And her all alone. And…"

"So you are saying," Callie interrupted, "That we can't move out until Meredith finds a new roommate _and_ Izzie finds a _boyfriend_?"

"_No_!" George paused, "Well, yes…"

Callie narrowed her eyes and her jaw set angrily, "I married _you_ George," she exclaimed, ripping back the curtain, "Not the whole damn gang."

XXXXXXX

"Should I ask or…" Callie glanced between Cristina and Addison, who although they were sitting together were completely ignoring each other.

"Don't ask," Addison replied, not looking up from her journal.

"Right," Callie accepted, She nodded to Cristina "How are the new digs? Blissfully dismal and silent?"

"Dismal? Yes. Silent? No."

Yeah?" Callie questioned, not really interested but trying to fill the silence.

"Turns out Alex is an animal in bed," Cristina continued, examining the chunk of Mac and Cheese on her fork before dropping it back on her plate.

"Yeah?" Callie grinned, sliding her gaze over to Addison, "Did you hear that Addison? An animal."

"Oh she knows," Cristina smirked, "She _knows…_"

"Cristina!" Addison exclaimed, tossing down her journal in abject annoyance.

"Oh." Cristina feigned embarrassment; "I didn't know we were hiding it from _your_ friends too. Oops."

A wide grin spread across Callie's face, "I knew you would cave and sleep with him."

"Oh there was no sleep," Cristina corrected, "For anyone. On the entire block."

"Really," Callie gleefully abandoned her lunch and turned all her attention to Cristina, "The _entire_ block?"

"Mmm," Cristina nodded and swallowed a bite of her lunch, "Round one wasn't to bad. The bed squeaks a bit. _Round 2 _I thought was an earthquake until _someone _started yelling 'faster… harder… faster… harder,'" Cristina tipped her head from side to side as she intoned each word, "I thought the bed would actually burst through the wall. _Round 3…"_

"You can go!" Addison exclaimed, "Cristina. Now. Please."

"We are going out for drinks tonight. Big ones. You owe me major stories. But without Miranda, this time," Callie informed her once Cristina was gone, "To many of her interns are negatively effecting our lives."

XXXXXXX

Alex clenched his fists tightly.

Addison ignored him completely.

"She won't tell," he hissed despite the fact that the elevator was now empty.

"She already did," Addison hissed back, "Callie barely sat down and Cristina told her _everything_."

"Callie is your _friend. _Who _cares_ what she knows."

"Callie is George's _wife_."

"So _what!_"

"_So_…"

"Who _cares_ if he knows."

"_I _care."

"_He_ doesn't Addison," he cut her off, "He doesn't care _what_ you do."

"Why do _you_ care?" Addison demanded as the elevator doors opened, "We were just fooling around."

Derek looked up and stepped on to the elevator, "Hi."

Addison smiled, "Hey."

"I was looking for you actually," Derek glanced at Alex briefly then returned his attention to Addison, "You ok?" he asked, glancing at her face, her shoulder, her chart then finally his own shoes.

"Fine," she replied praying that Alex wouldn't do something stupid, "Why?"

He shrugged, "You're pale," he returned his gaze to her shoulder, "You should get more sleep."

Alex smirked.

"I'll do that thanks," Addison shot Alex a look then looked back to Derek, "You were looking for me?"

"Ya," Derek remembered suddenly, shifting his gaze so he wasn't quite looking her in the eye, "I need to find Cristina."

"Why?" Alex asked, already knowing the answer.

"Oh," Derek shoved his hands in his pockets, "I promised that I would talk her out of staying with you. Meredith thinks that she is having to much fun there or something."

"So you came looking for Dr. Montgomery because Grey told you too," Alex clarified, looking at Addison not Derek.

"She did _tell _me too…"

"I haven't seen her," Addison interrupted.

Derek shrugged, turning as the elevator doors opened once again, "If you see her," he said over his shoulder as he exited, "I'm looking for her."

Alex crossed his arms over his chest and gave her a cocky smile, "Ya. _He_ cares…"

"Why do you find this so hard to understand Karev?" she demanded, "I _hate_ that he won't even look at me. And I _hate_ that _every time _that he does it's as if I viciously murdered his _puppy_. I _hate that! _But I still…"

"Well _stop_! Just get _over_ it. He's…"

"I don't _want_ to!"

They stared at each other.

The elevator doors opened and they both looked away.

"Fine," Alex said quietly, leaving her alone in the elevator, "Then don't."

XXXXXXX

Chief Webber stood in the middle of the hallway, arms crossed, looking around pensively.

This was not good. A year ago it would have been bad, but the more he thought of the ripple effects that this would have…

Some hospitals had policies about personal relationships.

He should transfer to one of those.

"Derek," he nodded to his neurosurgeon, "I need to speak with Grey."

Derek shrugged and shook his head, "Check the clinic. I'm actually looking for Yang, have you seen her lately?"

The Chief raised his eyebrows, "You're looking for Yang?"

Derek nodded, "It's a long story."

The Chief nodded, "Why don't I help you look for her," he suggested, failing at covering his interest in her whereabouts, "I wanted to talk to her after I talked to Meredith."

They saw Cristina first; pouring over a journal of medical anomalies like it was the latest issue of _Cosmo_. Meredith approaching from the other end of the hallway eyeing Derek curiously.

"Cristina," Derek began, glancing at Meredith for approval.

"Cristina," The Chief interrupted Derek, stepping in from of him and speaking gently, "Cristina," he said again, regretfully, "I have some bad news."

Cristina wrinkled her nose, "I have to work in the clinic don't I?" She glared at Meredith; "I can smell you from here."

"An hour ago I received a fax," Richard said quietly, "Preston Burke has resigned from Seattle Grace effective immediately."

XXXXXXX

Addison glanced up.

"My boyfriend just moved to Baltimore without saying good bye,"

Addison sighed softly and placed a hand on her hip. She took in Cristina's demeanor as she stood silently in front of her, "There are twins in isolation; I need some one to monitor them until this evening."

Cristina nodded and turned away.

"Cristina," Addison stopped her. "Eventually it stops hurting."

"What?"

"Being the one that gets left behind."

XXXXXXX

"I now declare you sufficiently drunk," Callie proclaimed loudly, "And an official member of the Seattle Grace Cougar Club."

"Thanks," Addison said setting her now empty glass, her fourth, down on the table, "I am honored."

"It's a rite of passage," Callie teased, "Everyone sleeps with an interns once."

Addison glanced at her.

"Or multiple times in one night"

Addison winced and took a large gulp of her drink.

"…Or a bunch of nights."

Addison sighed heavily.

"_No_oo," Callie tossed her head back and started at the ceiling for a moment, "You are _thinking_. You'ren't supposed to be _thinking_! You're supposed to be _drinking_!"

"I'm _not thinking_" Addison pouted, "I'm just…"

"No," Callie grabbed Addison's purse and stashed it behind her, "You are not booty calling him before midnight."

"I wasn't…"

"No," Callie reaffirmed.

Addison sighed, "We had a fight," she admitted, "He accused me of still being in love with Derek."

"Well are you?" Callie asked bluntly, tipping back another drink.

"No. I don't know," Addison took another drink, "I hope not."

Callie motioned to the waiter. "We are going to need a lot more liquor," she opened her wallet, "Why don't I just give you all my cash now."

XXXXXXX

Alex set his bag down on the coffee table and started to unload it, "Tonight," he pulled out a quart of vodka placing it in front of Cristina. He pulled out 2 large bottle of water, "Before bed and tomorrow morning," he instructed. He pulled out another 3 bottles, "Tomorrow night, repeat. After that you are on your own. Preferably in your own apartment."

Cristina nodded, not taking her eyes from the TV and twisting off the cap.

Alex collapsed on the other end of the couch, 6 pack of beer on the floor between his feet.

"What's your sob story?" Cristina demanded taking a long swig of her vodka, wincing at the harshness.

He shrugged, "Drinking alone is pathetic and your life already sucks enough." He downed half the bottle, "What are we watching?"

"Home Shopping Channel."

"Juicers?"

"Meredith's Christmas present."

Alex nodded.

Suddenly the beer was gone, and the vodka bottle lay empty on the floor beside the couch.

Cristina stared at the ceiling a minute longer and closed her eyes, gathering her wits. Alex was already sitting back on the other end of the couch, staring straight ahead at the opposite wall. Cristina slid from the couch her pants still looped around one leg. She pulled them back on but didn't bother to zip them up.

Alex didn't look at her as she grabbed one of the bottles of water and locked herself inside her room.

He glanced at his cell phone as it started to ring on the coffee table. He looked at the clock, _12:09am_, and picked up the phone, _A. Montgomery_.

He didn't answer.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

One more chapter in this section. Review.


	5. A Pain That I'm Used To

Alex paced back and forth across the worn carpet in his bedroom. His plan had been to stay in his room until Cristina left for work and then to avoid both her and Addison Montgomery for the entire day.

But the plan would only work if Cristina left her room first.

It would not work if she had the same plan.

Alex slowly eased open the door and slipped silently into the hallway.

Six feet away Cristina was doing the same.

"Damn," he breathed.

"Oh for…" Cristina exclaimed slamming her door the rest of the way. She faced him, her hands on her hips, "So what?" She demanded.

"I don't know."

"Well it's not happening again," Cristina said pointedly.

"I don't want it to," Alex stated firmly.

"Well good. Cause it's not."

"Fine."

"Ok."

"Fine."

"_No_ more sex," Cristina emphasized, "I can keep living here and it will never even come up."

"Fine," Alex nodded, "Do you need a ride?"

"Yes," Cristina reached back inside her room and grabbed a jacket, "So I can seriously keep living here?"

XXXXXXX

"Where are you?"

Addison took a sip of her drink, "Parking lot of the 7/11. Where are you?"

Callie stabbed at her egg, "Denny's. What are you doing at a 7/11?"

"I needed a Big Gulp."

"Why?"

"Hung-over," Addison took another sip, "George took you to Denny's? That's… cute."

"No," Callie corrected, "Callie was hung-over and needed greasy breakfast food away from George's peppy people, so _Callie _took Callie to Denny's."

Addison chuckled, "You flew the coop."

"You know," Callie said thoughtfully, "They are kind of like chickens. Izzie kinda clucks, Meredith bobs around all hen-like, Derek is like a rooster that scratches everyone that comes near him."

"And I bet he wakes up the entire house at ungodly hours," Addison teased.

"You know he does," Callie sighed, "I need out of that house."

"So get out," Addison pulled into the hospital parking lot, "You lived in the basement of the hospital for months, I'm sure you can find something."

"Unless Meredith's house has some magical vortex where we can have our own place but George does not have to physically move out; I think we are suck."

"I need to go to work," Addison groaned turning her car off.

"Did you ever get your booty call with the young willing-to-impress intern?"

"No," Addison stepped out of her car, kicked the door shut and started towards the hospital Big Gulp in hand, "He was probably saving Yang from a bout of alcohol poisoning."

"Saving," Callie bit into her toast, "Or inducing."

"Alex doesn't drink."

"Hmm. A first name and a personal detail; this is serious."

"I'm hanging up now."

"What do you think of attics?"

"They're dusty and rat-infested."

"That's basements."

"Dusty and bat-infested."

"I can live with that," Callie nodded decidedly, "Have fun at work."

XXXXXXX

Cristina leaned against the station counter grateful for the solitude. Meredith meant well, but where Meredith was, Izzie was and George was; and Cristina was not in the mood to be dealing with all those people.

She looked up as Addison sat down in a chair further down. Addison smiled at her encouragingly and focused her attention on the papers that she was reviewing. Cristina didn't smile back her stomach clenching nervously.

George set his charts down on the counter beside Cristina. Cristina stared ahead in frustration and then turned her head to glare at him.

"I," George avoided Cristina's gaze, "don't know why I'm standing here…"

Meredith arrived, pressing herself between George and Cristina. She watched Cristina silently.

"What?" Cristina asked tersely.

"I borrowed Derek's car," Meredith said, "I'll help you move your stuff out of Alex's."

"Ya," Derek added, appearing at her other side, his voice void of enthusiasm, "We would love to have you back."

"I think I'll stay where I am for now," Cristina said evenly, praying that all _these_ people in particular would go away. She caught Alex's eye as he rounded the counter and saw the assortment of people gathered around the nurse's station.

This could turn out very very badly.

Meredith glanced at Alex, and lowered her voice, as she spoke, "You don't want to stay with him He's just going to try to sleep with you."

"Well, we have that in common."

"Hey," Alex said quietly leaning against the counter near Addison.

"Hey," Addison swiveled her chair towards him, "I called you last night."

"I know," Alex forced a coy grin onto his face, "I just checked my messages."

Addison pursed her lips and smiled suggestively at him.

Meredith furrowed her brow at Cristina, "What are you…"

Cristina inhaled sharply and turned her back to everyone, Meredith turning with her. Cristina lowered her voice to barely a whisper "I slept with Alex."

Meredith eye's widened.

"You _slept_ with _Alex_?" George exclaimed loudly.

All heads snapped toward George.

"Sorry," he murmured.

Cristina turned and met Addison's even gaze. Cristina lowered her eyes guiltily.

"Right," Addison murmured under her breath, standing hastily.

"Addison," Alex said apologetically, "It wasn't…"

Addison ignored him, intent on leaving.

"Addison!" He protested louder,

"Addison?" George smirked, "What? Did you sleep with her too."

Addison froze. All eyes focused on her back. Taking a deep breath she squared her shoulders and walked away.

"_George!_" Cristina and Alex exclaimed simultaneously.

George's jaw dropped, "You_ slept_ with Dr. Montgomery!"

XXXXXXX

She paused and glanced around; there was one within earshot. Everyone was probably down the hall, listening to the latest gossip. She took a step inside the room and closed and locked the door.

"Mark," she said slowly.

Mark glanced up at her and smiled, "I knew you'd come back eventually."

Addison forced a smile, putting up a coy front, "Did you?" She asked, slipping her lab coat off her shoulders and dropping it seductively on the floor.

He smirked, "You always have before."

She didn't react to this, just lowered her eyes to his belt buckle and nimbly undid it, watching him through her lashes.

"Hey, not that I don't like that," he teased as his pants pooled around his ankles, "But why are you the only one having any fun?"

She sighed heavily and began untucking her black blouse.

He touched her chin lightly, lifting her face to look him, "Let me," he said softly. His hand skimmed down her neck and breast bone, undoing a few buttons at the top of her blouse before sliding down her stomach and under the hem of her shirt and sprawling across the bare skin of her waist; his other hand lightly massaging up and down her thigh and hip. He dipped his head to kiss her, smirking when she turned her face at the last second, "Tease," he murmured settling for the skin right below her jaw.

Addison rolled her eyes at his comment, pushing at his chest slightly as she started on the buttons of his shirt.

Suddenly she took a step back.

She stared at his chest ignoring his hands, which were trying to pull her back.

"Damn it Mark, " she groaned, "_Damn it!_" she exclaimed again, tucking her shirt back in and twisting out of his arms.

"What?" Mark demanded, confused and more then a little frustrated with the sudden turn of events.

"You have a _god damn hickey Mark!_" she exclaimed, "_Damn it,_" she said again trying to hold herself together as she walked to the door, "Just… _ugh!_"

The second that the door close behind her, her name was being called from down the hall.

"Addison!"

Addison turned immediately and began walking briskly in the opposite direction.

"Addison!" Alex caught up with her in an instant, grabbing her arm, "I was going to tell you."

Addison tried unsuccessfully to wrench her arm out of his grasp and scoffed, "You were going to _tell me_ that you slept with Cristina?"

Mark stepped out in to the hallway, "Let her go."

Alex ignored him, but also didn't say anything in response to Addison's question.

"I didn't think so," Addison spat bitterly, trying again to pull free from his grasp.

"Hey," Mark stepped between them facing Alex, "Let her go.'

Alex reluctantly released his hold on Addison's arm and she immediately turned and quickly walked away.

"Addison," Alex protested, trying to step around Mark, "I'm sorry."

Mark stayed where he was blocking Alex's way. He heard the door to the stairwell open and close indicating that she was now out of earshot. He crossed his arms, "You know," he said slowly, "Maybe I didn't give you enough of a chance. I'll talk to Bailey, you'll be back on plastics by the end of the shift." he smiled, "We are going to have so much fun."

XXXXXXX

Addison sank down on to the bottom step and buried her face in her hands. It was taking a tremendous amount of self-control not to cry.

Rapid footstep approached the stairwell and the door flew open. The footsteps stopped abruptly and silence filled the stairwell as the door slowly shut.

Addison looked up and sighed, "Go away Derek."

Derek smirked at her and moved past to walk up the stairs, "Karma."

Addison buried her face again, "Screw you."

Derek paused, "_Excuse_ me?"

"I _said_," Addison repeated evenly, "_Screw. You._"

"No. I _heard _you. I just…"

"I know I started it," Addison cut him off, her voice starting to break, "I _know_ that. But it doesn't make it okay."

Derek turned slightly to look at her.

"I cheated _once_," she continued, "But now… Now every man that I'm with seems to think that it's okay. That it won't hurt me. But…"

Derek slowly walked down the few steps between them and sat down beside her.

"It's not _fair_," Addison finally broke down, allowing the tears to escape her eyes, "_It's not fair_."

He watched her cry for a few minutes, her bent shoulders trembling. Tentatively he angled his body towards hers and placed a hand on the top of her back near her neck.

She moved to shrug his hand away, sitting up and staring at him.

He met her eyes and looked at her sadly, his hand still resting lightly on the back of her neck.

Her face slowly crumpled. She leaned forward until her cheek rested against his chest and she continued to cry softly.

He was still for along moment, unsure what to do. Instinctively his hand started rubbing small circles on her back and he lowered his face so his cheek rested against her forehead. She cried steadily, never escalating into sobs, just stagnant cries of sadness.

The door opened and Derek looked up, "Go away Mark," he said quietly, returning his attention to Addison.

"Addison," Mark ignored him, taking a step forward "Addison. _Stop_ crying."

"Mark!" Derek repeated indignantly. He couldn't believe the insensitivity that Mark was displaying. He stared hard at him.

"Addison," Marked said again, kneeling down in front of her, "When we were in New York and you found out that I was sleeping with that woman did you cry?"

Addison pulled away from Derek slightly and looked at him, "Which one?"

"Addison…" Mark chastised lightly, "You didn't did you?"

"No," she replied tearfully.

"And when Derek left," he said gently, "And you had to go back to work and everyone knew that he left you and everyone knew why, you didn't let anyone see you cry then did you?"

She shook her head, "No."

"And when you," he paused, this was either going to help or push her over the edge, "When you found Meredith's panties in Derek's jacket, and you knew that he had been with her; did you let them see you cry?"

Derek slowly dropped his hand from where it still rested on her back.

Addison was silent.

Mark leaned closer, "You let them see you drunk, very very drunk but you didn't let them see you cry, did you?"

"No," she whispered.

"So why would you let them see you cry over someone as insignificant as Karev?"

Addison nodded weakly.

"Ok," Mark touched her knee for a moment, then stood. He reached down and pulled her to her feet. She let him, her body limply allowing him to lead her. He shook out her lab coat which he had been carrying with him when he found her, and slide it up her arms and over her shoulders, "You need to go wash you face," Mark instructed softly treating her gently as if she was a small child, straightening her coat and buttoning the buttons of her blouse, which Derek was just now noticing were open to an indecent point, "And you need to tough out the rest of the day."

Addison nodded, mustering up a small smile for him as she left the stairwell.

"She's sad," Derek said slowly, as if this was a completely new concept for him.

"Yeah," Mark scoffed, "She's sad."

"I've never seen her sad like that." Derek shook his head.

"Really," Mark crossed his arms over his chest and started down the stairs, "I have. And it's usually your fault."

XXXXXXX

"Could you believe today?" Meredith slid between the sheets and stared up at the ceiling, "And after all that Cristina is still staying there."

Derek didn't reply, he was lost in his own thoughts.

"Could you imagine if they actually…" Meredith grimaced, "Lets hope that that was a one time thing, because Cristina and Alex in a relationship… that's like a sign that the apocalypse is very very near." Meredith paused and replayed the day over in her head, "I can't even picture Cristina without Burke, let alone with Alex. And then you throw Addison into the mix…"

Derek turned his head slowly and stared at her profile.

"Did you know?"

Derek slowly shook his head, he was barely listening too her.

"Her face when George blurted that out, I can only imagine what he expression must have been when…"

"Meredith, stop," Derek said in a low voice, staring up at the ceiling again.

Now Meredith turned to stare at him, "What?"

Derek didn't reply.

"I'm sure she is fine, Derek."

Derek rolled onto his side away from her, "She's not fine."

"Well it was kind of bitchy of Cristina since I guess she knew, but," Meredith's mind was already wandering to something new, "Addison probably moved on by lunch. Izzie is worrying me though; she hasn't said a word about it. That could be awkward for a while, Cristina and Izzie. Maybe it's for the best that Cristina didn't move back in. I don't think that I could have handled that. And did you notice that Callie moved all of her and George's stuff into the attic? She is _so_ strange…"

"Meredith," Derek said evenly, "Go to sleep."

"What is wrong with you?" Meredith demanded, completely confused by his lack of interest.

"Nothing." Derek closed his eyes, "It was just a long day and I have an early surgery scheduled."

"Oh," Meredith shifted closer and kissed the back of his neck, "You should have just said so."

It was hours later when Derek finally fell asleep, his mind plagued by inexplicable feelings of guilt. His mind flashing to Addison sitting heartbroken on the stairs because yet another man had failed her.

He wondered, if he had known 3 months ago that Addison would be sitting on those stairs, crying, still hurting because of the way that he had left her; would he still have followed Meredith into that on-call room?


End file.
